Latex/sol or gel systems

ABSTRACT

An electrically conductive polymer composition containing a nonconjugated polymer and a salt is prepared by admixing a sol or gel composition containing the salt with a polymer. A novel sol or gel composition containing a nonionic surfactant stabilizer is useful for preparing the electrically conductive composition. An intermediate mixture of salt, stabilizer and solvent are heated to prepare a sol or gel which is typically admixed with a latex to produce a product admixture containing the salt and a latex polymer. The product admixture is dried to produce a resultant latex polymer/salt composition having electrically conductive properties useful, as for example, as an antistatic carpet coating.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to polymer compositions, sol or gel compositions, electrically conductive compositions containing a latex polymer, and the preparations thereof.

The achievement of tailored electrical properties of compositions containing polymers is usually pursued in several ways. One approach consists of modifying the intrinsic bulk properties of polymers by processing, especially by pyrolysis. In this approach, acceptable electrical properties are developed by altering the chemical composition or structure of the initial material. A second approach is to attain the desired conductivity by incorporating macroscopic pieces of conducting material (metal flakes, carbonblack particulates, or carbon fibers, for example) in host polymers to form conducting composites. It is the traditional approach in the preparation of conducting polymers and is used today in the fabrication of nearly all commercial products based on conductive polymers. Another approach focuses on increasing the electrical conductance of conjugated polymers (i.e., polymers which already have at least some electrical conductance) at the molecular level by controlled incorporation of molecular dopants that may or may not form charge-transfer complexes with the host conjugated polymer. It is called molecular doping because it consists of diffusing isolated molecular dopants (AsF₅ or I₂, for example) into conjugated polymers.

Polymers capable of being stabilized in aqueous media are called latex polymers and a latex ordinarily contains at least one latex polymer and at least one surfactant dispersed in water. Presently, latex polymers are not conjugated, e.g., latex polymers are considered insulators. In order to produce acceptable electrical conductance properties in compositions containing latex polymers, materials responsible for such conductance must be compatibly combined with the latex. Compositions containing latex polymers coagulate when admixed with aqueous solutions of salts. For instance, an aqueous solution of cupric acetate added to a latex composition containing styrene butadiene rubber will cause coagulation of the styrene butadiene rubber within a short time after contact.

However, investigators have prepared hydrosols which contain materials such as colloidal antimony oxide in an attempt to find materials which may be added compatibly to a latex composition (i.e., added without coagulation). For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,960,989 issued to Petrow et al., a colloidal antimony oxide (hydrosol) was mixed in equal amounts with polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC) to improve the clarity of PVDC films.

The search continues for methods to compatibly mix salts with latex polymers. The resultant admixture of latex and salt provides for a number of useful compositions such as electrically conductive compositions containing latex polymers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a substantially nonaqueous composition containing a latex polymer and a salt. The salt is dispersed in the latex polymer in the form of anions and cations and/or colloidal salt particulates. The resultant latex polymer/salt composition is usually prepared by admixing a composition containing a starting latex polymer with a sol or gel containing a salt.

In one embodiment of the invention, a novel process is used to prepare a nonaqueous sol or gel wherein at least one nonaqueous solvent, at least one stabilizer, and at least one salt are admixed and then heated to a temperature sufficient to produce a sol or gel containing the salt. An acidic component is also usually added to the admixture prior to heating. The nonaqueous solvent is usually a form of polyhydroxyl ether or polyhydroxyl alcohol, the stabilizer is usually a chelator, such as a hydroxycarboxylic acid, or a nonionic surfactant, and the admixture is usually heated to a temperature less than 100° C. to form a product sol or gel composition. After cooling with optional addition of more acid component, such a product sol or gel may be admixed with a composition containing a starting latex polymer to produce a stable, noncoagulated product admixture composition containing a latex polymer and a salt.

In another embodiment, a novel sol or gel composition contains at least one solvent, at least one salt, and a stabilizer comprising a nonionic surfactant. A typical nonionic surfactant has the formula

    R--(EO).sub.x (PO).sub.y --R.sup.1

wherein each of R and R¹ is independently selected from hydrogen, hydroxyl, alkyl, aryl, monoalkylaryl, dialkylaryl, aliphatic ester and aryl ester radicals, EO is ethylene oxide, PO is propylene oxide and x and y are nonnegative integers.

In still another embodiment, the invention relates to a novel intermediate composition useful in the preparation of a sol or gel. The composition includes a mixture of at least one solvent, at least one salt and a stabilizer comprising a nonionic surfactant. Ordinarily the solvent is nonaqueous, and the pH is less than 7.0 and is capable of being heated to form a sol or gel.

The sol or gel compositions of the invention may be admixed with a composition containing a starting polymer to produce a product admixture containing the sol or gel and the starting polymer. The product admixture is dried to produce a product composition containing the salt from the sol or gel and the polymer. The salt is dispersed in the polymer in a form compatible to the particular polymer.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a stable, noncoagulated product admixture composition is prepared by admixing an above-mentioned sol or gel composition with a composition containing a starting latex polymer. The stable, noncoagulated product admixture containing the latex polymer and sol or gel is dried to produce a resultant latex polymer/salt composition which is highly useful as a latex polymer composition having electrically conductive properties. Other applications of the resultant latex polymer/salt compositions include their use as biocidal polymers, polymer coatings for anodic and cathodic protection, microwave food coatings, gloss enhanced polymers, laminated coatings as barriers to stain migration in textiles and floor coverings, sorbents containing flame retardant sols, polymers useful as delay cross linkers in reservoir plugging, polymers for thermal heating elements, catalytic agents, and antistatic adhesive tapes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A sol or gel is prepared for addition to a composition containing a starting latex polymer. The sol or gel composition is prepared by admixing, in any order at least one solvent, at least one stabilizer, and at least one salt. In an alternative embodiment, an acidic component may also be added to the admixture.

Typical solvents utilized in the preparation of the sol or gel include nonaqueous solvents such as organic solvents, particularly polyols, such as for example a polyhydroxyl ether or a polyhydroxyl alcohol. Nonaqueous sols or gels containing organic solvents and essentially no water are typically referred to as organosols or organogels. More particular examples of useful solvents for preparing organosols or organogels include ethylene glycol, glycerine, pentanediol, polyoxyethylene glycol, polyoxypropylene glycol, mixed (polyoxyethlene-polypropylene) glycol and blocked (polyoxyethlenepolyoxypropylene) glycol.

In the preparation of the sol or gel composition, at least one stabilizer is added to the admixture. The stabilizer is usually a chelator and/or a nonionic surfactant. Examples of common chelators useful in the invention are hydroxycarboxylic acids such as citric acid, tartaric acid, mesotartaric acid, glycolic acid, α-hydroxybutyric acid, mandelic acid, glyceric acid, malic acid and lactic acid, with citric acid being the most highly preferred. The nonionic surfactant stabilizers ordinarily contain ethylene oxide (EO) and/or propylene oxide (PO). The nonionic surfactant stabilizers may also include mixed EO-PO or blocked EO-PO arrays. One example of a nonionic surfactant has the formula

    R--(EO).sub.x (PO).sub.y --R.sup.1

wherein each of R and R¹ is independently selected from hydrogen, hydroxyl, alkyl, aryl, monoalkylaryl, dialkylaryl, aliphatic ester and aryl ester radicals, and x and y are nonnegative integers. Another nonionic stabilizer is a glycerine derived nonionic surfactant having the formula ##STR1## wherein each of R, R¹ and R¹¹ is independently selected from hydrogen, hydroxyl, alkyl, aryl, monoalkylaryl, dialkylaryl aliphatic ester and aryl ester radicals, and x, y, a, b, m and n are nonnegative integers. Illustrative of nonionic surfactants are alkylpolyglycol ethers such as ethoxylation products of lauryl, oleyl, and stearyl alcohols or mixtures of such alcohols as coconut fatty alcohols; alkylphenol polyglycol ethers such as ethoxylation products of octyl- or nonylphenol, diisopropylphenol, triisopropylphenol, di- or tritertiarybutyl phenol, etc. Preferred nonionic surfactants include mono- or di-alkyl oxyalkylated phenolics. A highly preferred nonionic surfactant useful herein contains about 1 to about 100 percent by weight of ethylene oxide in combination with 0 to about 99 percent by weight of propylene oxide and has a molecular weight from about 62 to about 5,000. Examples of such surfactants include 6-50 mol EO lauryl alcohol, 6-50 mol EO cetyl alcohol, 6-50 mol EO mystryl alcohol, 6-50 mol EO stearyl alcohol, 6-50 mol EO phenol, 6- 50 mol EO butyl phenol, 6-50 mol RO octyl phenol, 6-50 mol EO decyl phenol, 6-50 mol EO dodecyl phenol, 6-50 mol EO nonyl phenol, and 10-90 mol EO sorbitan monolaurate or monocetylate, monomystralate or monostearate. Numerous other examples of suitable nonionic surfactants are disclosed in U.S Pat. Nos. 2,600,831, 2,271,622, 2271,623, 2,275,727, 2,787,604, 2,816,920, and 2,739,891, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Any salt is useful in the invention. Both organic and inorganic salts may be utilized. The salt must be capable of (1) existing as colloidal salt particulates, (2) existing in ion species or (3) forming ions, when dispersed in a composition containing a latex polymer. In the formation of a sol or gel, the salt contains cations or anions capable of being dispersed in the admixture of solvent and stabilizer. The anions or cations of the salt are usually metallic cations or metallic-containing anions, monomeric nonmetallic cations or monomeric nonmetallic anions, or polymeric nonmetallic cations or polymeric nonmetallic anions. Any metal or nonmetal may be contained in the cations or anions. Useful metallic cations of the salt include the cations of antimony, yttrium, cadmium, silver, calcium, cerium, manganese, nickel, niobium, lead, uranium, barium, chromium, cesium, copper, lithium, sodium, potassium, palladium, praseodymium, aluminum, cobalt, iron, gold, lanthanum, magnesium, thallium zinc, dysprosium, samarium, gadolinium, erbium, strontium, ytterbium, titanium and mercury. Examples of useful monomeric nonmetallic cations of the salt include ammonium boron and silicon-containing cations. Useful monomeric nonmetallic anions of the salt include those containing nitrates, acetates, halides, borates, formates, citrates, benzoates, tartrates, phosphates, silicates, nitrites, carbonates, oxides and alkoxides. Examples of a number of metallic-containing anions useful herein include those containing the elements arsenic, chromium, manganese, tin, aluminum, titanium, zirconium, vanadium or molybdenum. Salts useful herein containing nonmetallic anions typically contain an element such as fluorine, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, tellurium, selenium, phosphorus, sulfur, chlorine, bromine and iodine. Furthermore, the salts may provide polymeric cations such as monoolefinic quaternary ammonium cations, diolefinic quaternary ammonium cations, triolefinic quaternary ammonium cations and tetraolefinic quaternary ammonium cations. Also the salts may contain polymeric anions such as alkyl, aryl, ether, or alkylaryl sulfonates, sulfates, phosphates, carboxylates and polycarboxylates.

In the process of preparing the sol or gel, an acidic component is sometimes added to the admixture of solvent, stabilizer and salt. Usually the acid component is added to provide for a transparent product. The acidic component is usually a protic acid, such as concentrated nitric acid, concentrated hydrochloric acid or concentrated sulfuric acid; however, a Lewis acid may also be utilized. An acidic component may be added to the admixture of solvent, stabilizer and salt either before, during or after the admixture is heated to a temperature sufficient to form a sol or gel.

The admixture of solvent, stabilizer and salt, and optionally an acidic component is ordinarily prepared at room temperature and the temperature raised usually to less than 100° C. to produce a sol or gel containing the desired salt. The temperature to which the admixture is heated is usually dependent upon the particular salt or salts contained in the admixture; however, a significant number of admixtures containing a salt, particularly an inorganic salt, are heated to a temperature in the range from about 30° C. to about 90° C. and more preferably in the range from about 35° C. to about 85° C. In one embodiment for preparing the sol or gel containing a solvent, stabilizer, salt and acidic component, the ingredients are admixed at room temperature and slowly heated to a temperature in tee range from about 35° C. to about 85° C. for a period sufficient to produce a transparent product, ordinarily from about 0.5 to about 15 hours, and having the color of the characteristic anion or cation of the particular salt in the admixture. The transparent product is a sol or gel composition containing the cations and anions and/or colloidal salt particulates of the particular salt of the admixture. Often the transparent product becomes cloudy or opaque when the admixture is cooled to room temperature. If the transparent product becomes opaque or cloudy, additional sufficient portions of the acidic component may be added to the opaque product to produce a sol or gel composition having substantially the same degree of transparency and clarity as observed at the elevated temperature necessary to initially form the sol or gel.

Whether or not the acidic component is added to the admixture of solvent, stabilizer and salt, the pH of the admixture, either before or after heating, is generally less than 7.0 and usually less than 4.0. It is preferred that the pH of the admixture of the sol or gel composition be less than about 3.0, particularly when the acidic component is added to the admixture, and it is highly preferred that the pH be less than about 1.0. Also, as will be seen hereinafter in the examples, many instances exist where the pH of the sol or gel composition is less than about 0.1.

In another embodiment of the invention, a novel sol or gel composition is prepared by heating a mixture of at least one solvent with at least one salt and a stabilizer containing a nonionic surfactant. An acidic component may optionally be added to the admixture either before or after heating the admixture to a temperature sufficient to form a sol or gel composition; typically such a temperature is in the range from about 30° to about 95° C. The solvent is typically a nonaqueous solvent, commonly an organic solvent, which, in admixture with the nonionic surfactant and the salt, comprises an organosol or organogel when the temperature of the admixture has been increased sufficiently to form the sol or gel composition.

The sol or gel composition described herein may be combined with a composition containing a polymer to produce a product admixture containing the components of the sol or gel composition and the polymer. Preferably, a stable, noncoagulated product admixture composition containing a latex polymer and a salt is prepared by admixing the sol or gel composition described herein with a composition containing a starting latex polymer. Although the above described sol or gel composition may be admixed with a composition containing any starting polymer, a latex polymer is preferably employed as the starting latex polymer to which the sol or gel composition is admixed. As used herein, any polymer capable of being dispersed, emulsified or suspended in a latex is considered a latex polymer. The latex polymer utilized herein is not conjugated. Preferred starting latex polymers of the invention include (1) conjugated diolefin polymers containing one or more conjugated diene monomers having 4 to 8 carbon atoms, preferably containing at least 10 weight percent of the conjugated diene monomers, and usually in combination with one or more alkenyl substituted monoaromatic monomers, typically in the range from about 1 to about 70 weight percent of the latex polymer, (2) olefin-ester interpolymers containing a monoolefin monomer having up to 4 carbon atoms and an alkenyl or alkenol ester of a saturated carboxylic acid, preferably containing at least 10 weight percent of the polymer, (3) olefinically unsaturated carboxylic acid ester polymers containing polymerized, olefinically unsaturated monomers containing polymerized olefinically unsaturated carboxylic acid ester monomers, preferably containing at least 10 weight percent of the latex polymer, (4) polymers of olefinically unsaturated monomers containing alkenyl ether monomer units, preferably in the amount of at least 10 weight percent of the latex polymer, (5) polymers of vinylidene chloride or vinyl chloride with or without other polymerized, olefinically unsaturated monomers, and (6) combinations thereof.

The compositions containing starting latex polymers can be prepared as aqueous dispersions, emulsions, suspensions, and the like by procedures known in the art to be suitable for preparation of the aforementioned 5 classes of starting latex polymers. For instance, aqueous starting latex polymer dispersions can be prepared by gradually adding each monomer simultaneously to an aqueous reaction medium at a rate proportionate to the respective percentage of each monomer in a finished polymer and initiating and continuing polymerization by providing in the aqueous reaction medium a suitable polymerization catalyst. Illustrative of such catalysts are free radical initiators and redox systems such as hydrogen peroxide, potassium or ammonium peroxydisulfate, dibenzoyl peroxide, lauryl peroxide, di-tertiarybutyl peroxide, bisazodiisobutyronitrile, either alone or together with one or more reducing components such as sodium bisulfite, sodium metabisulfite, glucose, ascorbic acid, erythorbic acid, etc. The reaction is continued with agitation at a temperature sufficient to maintain an adequate reaction rate until all added monomers are consumed. Monomer addition is usually continued until the latex (dispersion) reaches a polymer concentration of about 10 to about 60 weight percent.

Protective colloids may be added to an aqueous polymer dispersion either during or after the reaction period. Illustrative protective colloids include gum arabic, starch, alginates, and modified natural substances such as methyl-, ethyl-, hydroxyalkyl-, and carboxymethyl cellulose, and synthetic substances such as polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, and mixtures of two or more of such substances. Fillers and/or extenders, such as dispersible clays and colorants, including pigments and dyes, can also be added to the aqueous dispersions either during or after polymerization.

Polymer concentrations in compositions containing a starting latex polymer particularly those with dispersions in aqueous media, are ordinarily greater than about 0.1 weight percent of the composition. Usually the concentrations are greater than 1 weight percent and preferably greater than 5 weight percent, but most commonly in the range from about 40 to 70 percent for those latexes resulting from emulsion polymerization. The dispersed polymer particles in the composition containing the starting latex polymer can be of any size suitable for the intended use, although particle sizes of usually at least about 120 nanometers are presently preferred since latex viscosity increases as particle size is reduced substantially below that level. Most often, the described latexes will have polymer particle sizes within the range from about 120 to about 300 nanometers as determined on the N-4 "Nanosizer" available from Colter Electronics, Inc., of Hialeah, Fla.

The stable, noncoagulated product admixture composition produced by the admixing of the sol or gel composition with the composition containing at least one starting latex polymer is usually dried by suitable methods known in the art to produce a dried, substantially nonaqueous resultant latex polymer/salt composition. For instance, when the composition containing at least one starting latex polymer is an aqueous dispersion, the product admixture composition is usually air dried or oven dried at a temperature less than about 100° C.

The dried (nonaqueous) resultant latex polymer/salt composition ordinarily contains less water than contained in the aqueous dispersion of the starting latex polymer, and preferably contains substantially no water, e.g., less than 1 weight percent water in the resultant latex polymer/salt composition. The resultant latex polymer/salt composition usually contains the same starting latex polymer; however, it is within the scope of the present invention that the starting latex polymer can be converted to a different latex polymer after admixture of the sol or gel with the starting latex polymer. At least one cation and/or at least one anion of the salt is dispersed in the dried resultant latex polymer/salt composition. Although the invention is not bound by any theory, it is believed that at least some of the particulates derived from the starting salt exists as colloidal salt particulates dispersed in the resultant latex polymer/salt composition.

The concentration of the salt in any of the compositions described herein is dependent upon the use of the particular composition. Ordinarily, a concentration of greater than about 0.001 weight percent of salt in the sol or gel gel is sufficient for most uses, although the resultant dried product composition, such as the resultant latex polymer/salt composition, may contain a considerably lower concentration of salt such as greater than typical detectable limits, i.e., greater than about 10⁻⁷ weight percent, and usually greater than about 10⁻⁴ weight percent of salt in the resultant composition.

The presence of the salt dispersed in the resultant latex polymer/salt composition provides an improved electrical (alternating or direct) conductive or semiconductive property compared to the starting latex polymer without the added salt. The resultant latex polymer/salt compositions exhibit conductive properties greater than about 10⁻⁷ Seimens/cm. The resultant latex polymer/salt composition is ordinarily capable of conducting at least 0.5 microamperes of alternating electrical current when 5,000 volts (AC) of electricity are applied between brass electrodes that are one inch apart. One electrical testing apparatus suitable for conducting this test is available from Biddle Instruments (Model No. 22005) of Philadelphia, Pa. Such electrical conductive properties are applied, as for example, when the product admixture composition is coated and dried on carpet backing fibers to provide antistatic properties to the carpeting.

Other applications for the resultant latex polymer/salt compositions include biocidal polymers, polymers have discoloration retardant properties, polymers useful as delay cross linkers in reservoir plugging, polymer coatings for anodic and cathodic protection, polymers for thermal heating elements, antistatic adhesive tapes, catalytic agents, gloss enhanced polymers, as well as other uses such as laminated coatings as barriers to stain migration in textiles and floor coverings, sorbents containing flame retardant sols, and microwave food coatings.

The invention is further illustrated by the following examples which are illustrative of specific modes of practicing the invention and are not intended as limiting the scope of the invention defined by the appended claims.

EXAMPLE 1

A sol containing cupric acetate is prepared as follows: to a 1 liter container is added 246 grams of ethylene glycol solvent, 166 grams of citric acid (monohydrate) stabilizer, 50 grams of cupric acetate (dihydrate) and 21.4 grams of concentrated nitric acid. From room temperature (about 25° C.), the mixture is slowly heated to 65° C. and held at 65° C. for 10 hours. A clear, transparent product sol is formed having a blue color. The transparent blue-colored sol contains cupric cations, acetate anions and colloidalize cupric acetate salt particles dispersed in the liquid medium. Such a product is cooled to room temperature and the transparent product becomes opaque. An additional 10.7 grams of nitric acid is added to the opaque product which results in the same degree of transparency and clarity as observed at 65° C. The transparent product is a stable sol having a pH of 0.1 and a viscosity of 290 cps.

EXAMPLE 2

Stable citric acid/ethylene glycol/nitric acid sols containing various salts are prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, except various salts require different temperatures sufficient to form the sol. These temperatures and the characteristics of the resulting sols are shown in Table A.

                                      TABLE A                                      __________________________________________________________________________                 Sol                Product                                                     Forming                                                                              Product Product                                                                             Viscosity,                                      Salt        Temp. °C.                                                                     Color   pH   Cps                                             __________________________________________________________________________     Aluminum Acetate                                                                           65    yellow  0.1  445                                             Aluminum Nitrate                                                                           70    colorless                                                                              0.1  306                                             Ammonium Acetate                                                                           65    colorless                                                                              2.4  130                                             Ammonium Molybdate                                                                         45    yellow  0.2  220                                             Ammonium    70    red     0.1  150                                             Molybdocobaltate                                                               Ammonium Nitrate                                                                           55    colorless                                                                              0.1  186                                             Antimony Acetate                                                                           70    colorless                                                                              0.3  772                                             Antimony Ethylene                                                                          40    colorless                                                                              <0.1 190                                             Glycoxide                                                                      Bismuth Nitrate                                                                            60    colorless                                                                              0.1  253                                             Boron Acetate                                                                              65    colorless                                                                              0.1  152                                             Cadmium Acetate                                                                            65    colorless                                                                              0.3  168                                             Calcium Acetate                                                                            65    colorless                                                                              0.1  180                                             Cerium Acetate                                                                             70    colorless                                                                              0.6  180                                             Cerium Nitrate                                                                             45    pale yellow                                                                            0.1  223                                             Cesium Acetate                                                                             65    colorless                                                                              0.1  150                                             Chromium Acetate                                                                           65    green   <0.1 169                                             Cobalt Acetate                                                                             65    red     <0.1 215                                             Cobalt      70    orange  1.0  156                                             Silylmolybdate                                                                 Cupric Acetate                                                                             65    blue    <0.1 290                                             Dysprosium Chloride                                                                        60    yellow  0.4  334                                             Dysprosium Nitrate                                                                         70    yellow  <0.1 326                                             Ferric Citrate                                                                             85    brown   0.25 262                                             Lanthanum Acetate                                                                          65    colorless                                                                              0.1  265                                             Lanthanum Chloride                                                                         65    colorless                                                                              0.1  363                                             Lanthanum Nitrate                                                              Lanthanum Oxide                                                                            85    colorless                                                                              0.1  2630                                            Lead Acetate                                                                               65    colorless                                                                              0.1  140                                             Lithium Acetate                                                                            65    colorless                                                                              1.8  118                                             Magnesium Acetate                                                                          70    colorless                                                                              0.7  160                                             Mercuric Acetate                                                                           70    colorless                                                                              0.1  138                                             Neodymium Chloride                                                                         40    yellow-green                                                                           <0.1 200                                             Neodymium Nitrate                                                                          40    rose    0.1  193                                             Nickel Acetate                                                                             65    green   0.4  188                                             Nickel      50    green   <0.1 198                                             Phosphormolybdate                                                              Nickel      80    black-blue                                                                             0.6  390                                             Silylmolybdate                                                                 Nickel      50    green   <0.1 246                                             Tetrafluoroborate                                                              Potassium Acetate                                                                          65    colorless                                                                              1.3  165                                             Potassium Phosphate                                                                        55    colorless                                                                              0.7  469                                             Monobasic                                                                      Praseodymium                                                                               65    green   0.4  120                                             Acetate                                                                        Silicon Acetate                                                                            70    colorless                                                                              <0.1 238                                             Silver Acetate                                                                             65    colorless                                                                              0.1  166                                             Sodium Acetate                                                                             65    colorless                                                                              1.6  100                                             Sodium Chromate                                                                            40    black-blue                                                                             <0.1 222                                             Sodium Molybdate                                                                           45    yellow  <0.1 216                                             Sodium Vanadate                                                                            80    black-blue                                                                             3.2  131                                             Strontium Acetate                                                                          60    colorless                                                                              1.1  475                                             Tetraetylammonium                                                                          40    colorless                                                                              1.0  139                                             Acetate                                                                        Tetraethylammonium                                                                         50    colorless                                                                              0.1  336                                             Chloride                                                                       Tetramethylammonium                                                                        50    colorless                                                                              0.1  310                                             Chloride                                                                       Tetraethylammonium                                                                         60    colorless                                                                              0.1  180                                             tetrafluoroborate                                                              Thallium Acetate                                                                           65    purple  0.1  168                                             Thorium Nitrate                                                                            50    colorless                                                                              0.1  211                                             Titanium Butoxide                                                                          60    orange  1.4  175                                             Titanium Ethoxide                                                                          60    colorless                                                                              0.3  154                                             Titanium    60    colorless                                                                              1.6  130                                             Isopropoxide                                                                   Trimethylbenzyl-                                                                           40    colorless                                                                              0.1  290                                             ammonium Chloride                                                              Uranyl Acetate                                                                             65    yellow  0.1  201                                             Yttrium Acetate                                                                Yttrium Chloride                                                                           60    colorless                                                                              <0.1 370                                             Yttrium Formate                                                                            60    colorless                                                                              0.1  393                                             Yttrium Nitrate                                                                            40    colorless                                                                              0.1  254                                             Zinc Acetate                                                                               65    colorless                                                                              0.6  258                                             __________________________________________________________________________

EXAMPLE 3

A sol is prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, except the 166 grams of citric acid monohydrate stabilizer is replaced with 166 grams of a nonionic surfactant stabilizer which is a polyethoxylated nonylphenol surfactant having 9 moles of ethylene oxide per mole. Also, no nitric acid is added to the cooled admixture. The resulting sol is transparent and has a green color, a pH of 2.8 and a viscosity of 155 cps.

EXAMPLE 4

Cupric acetate salt is replaced by other metallic salts in the same method of preparation as in Example 3 (i.e., addition of the nonionic surfactant stabilizer) to produce sols having the color, pH, and viscosity characteristics summarized in Table B below:

                  TABLE B                                                          ______________________________________                                                                               Sol                                                                            Forming                                                               Viscosity Cps                                                                           Temp.                                    Metallic Salt                                                                              Color    pH      (Brookfield)                                                                            °C.                               ______________________________________                                         Aluminum Acetate                                                                           Yellow   1.5     185      80                                       Ammonium Acetate                                                                           Yellow   5.9     143      40                                       Ammonium Nitrate                                                                           Colorless                                                                               <0.1    126      40                                       Barium Acetate                                                                             Colorless                                                                               4.6     188      40                                       Calcium Nitrate                                                                            Yellow   <0.1    180      40                                       Cerous Nitrate                                                                             Yellow   <0.1    175      40                                       Cobalt Acetate                                                                             Red      3.5     186      40                                       Cupric Acetate                                                                             Green    2.8     155      40                                       Dysprosium Nitrate                                                                         Yellow   <0.1    182      40                                       Ferric Nitrate                                                                             Orange   1.1     180      40                                       Gadolinium Nitrate                                                                         Colorless                                                                               2.3     202      40                                       Lanthanum Nitrate                                                                          Yellow   <0.1    179      40                                       Magnesium Nitrate                                                                          Yellow   <0.1    188      40                                       Manganous Acetate                                                                          Orange   3.3     190      40                                       Mercurous Acetate                                                                          Yellow   <0.1    134      40                                       Neodymium Nitrate                                                                          Pink     2.9     200      40                                       Nickel Nitrate                                                                             Green    3.5     204      40                                       Praseodymium                                                                               Green    3.0     187      40                                       Nitrate                                                                        Strontium Nitrate                                                                          Yellow   <0.1    245      40                                       Titanium    Yellow   <0.1    114      40                                       Isopropoxide                                                                   Uranyl Nitrate                                                                             Yellow   <0.1    125      40                                       Ytterbium Nitrate                                                                          Colorless                                                                               2.6     186      40                                       Yttrium Nitrate                                                                            Colorless                                                                               <0.1    190      40                                       Zinc Acetate                                                                               Colorless                                                                               3.1     175      40                                       ______________________________________                                    

EXAMPLE 5

Sols containing cupric acetate prepared in the same manner as in Examples 1 and 3, except the stabilizer is replaced in each sol with an individually different nonionic surfactant. Characteristics of the sols including product viscosity, pH, surfactant Hydrophilic-Lipophlic Balance (HLB), and the sol forming temperature are summarized in Table C.

                  TABLE C                                                          ______________________________________                                                     Sur-     Sol              Product                                  Nonionic    factant  Forming   Product                                                                               Viscosity,                               Surfactant  HLB      Temp. °C.                                                                         pH     Cps.                                     ______________________________________                                         9 mol EO    13.0     85        1.7    154                                      octylphenol                                                                    12.5 mole EO                                                                               14.6     85        1.5    148                                      octylphenol                                                                    7.5 mol EO  12.2     85        1.5    163                                      nonylphenol                                                                    8.5 mol EO  12.6     85        1.5    149                                      nonylphenol                                                                    9 mol EO    13.0     85        2.8    155                                      nonylphenol                                                                    10 mol EO   13.2     85        1.6    160                                      nonylphenol                                                                    10.5 mol EO 13.6     85        1.6    160                                      nonylphenol                                                                    12 mol EO   14.2     85        2.6    167                                      nonylphenol                                                                    15 mol EO   15.0     85        1.4    165                                      nonylphenol                                                                    20 mol EO   16.0     85        1.4    171                                      nonylphenol                                                                    12 mol EO dodecyl                                                                          14.5     85        1.0    140                                      alcohol                                                                        6 mol EO tridecyl                                                                          11.5     85        1.7    120                                      alcohol                                                                        10 mol EO oleyl                                                                            11.5     85        2.7    171                                      alcohol                                                                        10 mol EO cetyl                                                                            13.1     85        3.1    183                                      alcohol                                                                        20 mol EO oleyl                                                                            15.3     85        2.5    221                                      alcohol                                                                        20 mol EO cetyl                                                                            15.7     80        1.2    210                                      alcohol                                                                        23 mol EO lauryl                                                                           16.9     80        1.3    168                                      alcohol                                                                        Polyoxethylene       85        2.6    110                                      glycol 400                                                                     Polyoxethylene       85        2.7    120                                      glycol 600                                                                     Polyoxethylene       85        2.5    140                                      glycol 1000                                                                    Polyoxethylene       85        2.9    165                                      glycol 1500                                                                    Pluronic L35*                                                                              18.5     80        2.8    173                                      Pluronic L64                                                                               15.0     80        2.8    386                                      Pluronic P65                                                                               17.0     85        3.0    984                                      Pluronic P75                                                                               16.5     85        3.1    455                                      Pluronic P84                                                                               14.0     80        1.8    1288                                     Pluronic P85                                                                               16.0     85        3.1    1720                                     Pluronic P103                                                                              9.0      80        2.0    1824                                     Pluronic P104                                                                              13.0     85        3.3    1432                                     Pluronic P105                                                                              15.0     85        3.0    1684                                     Pluronic P123                                                                              8.0      85        1.7    2096                                     Polypropylene        85        1.4    152                                      glycol 425                                                                     80 mol EO sorbitan                                                                         19.7     70        2.6    170                                      monolaurate                                                                    20 mol EO sorbitan                                                                         15.6     80        1.2    188                                      monopalaurate                                                                  20 mol EO sorbitan                                                                         15.1     80        1.3    160                                      monodeate                                                                      20 mol EO sorbitan                                                                         16.7     80        1.2    130                                      monolaurate                                                                    Tetronic 304*                                                                              17.0     85        2.7    155                                      Tetronic 704                                                                               15.0     85        2.7    297                                      Tetronic 904                                                                               14.5     85        2.8    417                                      Tetronic 1102                                                                              5.5      85        2.9    525                                      Tetronic 1504                                                                              12.5     85        3.5    717                                      ______________________________________                                          *Pluronic and Tetronic nonionic surfactants contain mixtures of polyols a      determined by basic grid FIGS. 2 and 6, pp. 2 and 4, respectively,             disclosed in "Pluronic Tetronic Surfactants," copyright BASF (1987).     

EXAMPLE 6

Sols containing cupric acetate are prepared in the same manner as in Example 5, except each sol contains a mixture of nonionic surfactants as the stabilizer. The sols exhibit the following characteristics as shown in Table D.

                  TABLE D                                                          ______________________________________                                                               Sol                                                                            Forming                                                  Nonionic              Temp.    Product                                                                               Product                                  Surfactant Blend                                                                              HLB    °C.                                                                              pH     Viscosity                                ______________________________________                                         10 wt. % Pluronic                                                                             17.1   85       2.9    173                                      L31* + 90 wt. % L35**                                                          90 wt. % Pluronic                                                                             19.7   85       2.7    188                                      L35** + 10 wt. % F38***                                                        50 wt. % Igepal                                                                               14.3   85       2.9    201                                      CO530 + 50 wt. %                                                               Igepal CO890                                                                   ______________________________________                                          Igepal CO530 = 6 mol EO nonylphenol                                            Igepal CO890 = 40 mol EO nonylphenol                                           Pluronic *L31 = 10% EO + 90% PO polyglycol MW = 950                            **L35 = 50% EO + 50% PO polyglycol MW = 950                                    ***F38 = 80% EO + 20% PO polyglycol MW = 950                             

EXAMPLE 7

Sols containing cupric and zinc acetates/citric acid/nitric acid are prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, except the polyol solvents in Table E are substituted for the ethylene glycol solvent. The temperature required to form the col, pH of the sol and viscosity of the sol are summarized in Table E.

                  TABLE E                                                          ______________________________________                                                            Sol                                                                            Forming  Product                                                                               Product                                     M     Solvent      Temp. C. pH     Viscosity, Cps.                             ______________________________________                                         Zinc  glycerine    65       0.2    4944                                        Zinc  propylene glycol                                                                            65       0.6     686                                        Zinc  pentanediol  60       0.1    1152                                        Cupric                                                                               glycerine    75       0.1    3200                                        Cupric                                                                               diethylene glycol                                                                           65       0.1    2000                                        Cupric                                                                               triethylene glycol                                                                          75       0.1    3550                                        Cupric                                                                               propylene glycol                                                                            60       0.1    1182                                        Cupric                                                                               polyoxyethylene                                                                             55       0.1     780                                              glycol 200                                                               ______________________________________                                    

EXAMPLE 8

A cupric acetate salt is admixed with a commercially available latex polymer composition (designated as as "76 RES 4400" available from Union Chemicals Division of Unocal Corp., i.e., "UCD") containing a styrene butadiene rubber (SBR), to produce a noncoagulated product admixture composition containing the stable, latex polymer together with the cupric acetate salt uniformly dispersed in the product admixture. The cupric acetate salt is added to the composition containing the latex polymer by addition of the sol prepared in Example 1 containing the cupric acetate salt.

One part by weight of the cupric acetate-containing sol is admixed with 29 parts by weight of the composition containing the latex polymer to produce a stable, noncoagulated product admixture composition containing cupric acetate salt, including cupric cations, uniformly dispersed in the latex polymer. The stable product admixture indicates the sol and latex polymer are compatible, the resulting latex polymer product admixture being blue in color and no coagulation of the latex polymer composition being observed for at least one month following admixing.

EXAMPLE 9

Several compositions containing latex polymers other than that in Example 8 are admixed in separate tests with the sol of Example 1. The following commercially available UCD compositions containing latex polymer derived by emulsion polymerization are all compatible (i.e. form stable, noncoagulated product admixtures) with the cupric acetate sol when admixed in the same manner as in Example 8: (76 RES 3103) polyvinylacetate, (76 RES 1019) styrene/acrylate, (76 RES 9608) acrylic, (76 RES 701) polyvinylidene chloride and (76 RES 661) vinyl acrylics.

EXAMPLE 10

Citric acid/ethylene glycol/nitric acid sols from Examples 1 and 2 are compatibly combined with 76 RES 4400 in the same manner as in Example 8. The product admixture is prepared in a 3.5 inch Petri dish and air dried at room temperature for 1 week. The dried resultant latex polymer/salt films containing the various salts (and/or cations and/or anions) have the electrical conductivity properties summarized in Table F. The Biddle Model No. 22005 Electric Testing Equipment is used to test the dried resultant latex polymer/salt films. The Biddle Testing Equipment contains brass strips which are placed one inch apart and voltage is applied while determining current flow. The voltage required to produce an alternating electrical current flow of five thousand microamperes is summarized in Table F.

                  TABLE F                                                          ______________________________________                                                            Voltage                                                                        AC volts to give                                            Sol Used           5K microamps                                                ______________________________________                                         76 RES 4400                                                                    None               >>5K*                                                       Aluminum Acetate   2700                                                        Aluminum Nitrate   1000                                                        Ammonium Acetate    950                                                        Ammonium Molybdate 1700                                                        Ammonium Molybdocobaltate                                                                         1700                                                        Ammonium Nitrate   1500                                                        Antimony Acetate   2000                                                        Antimony Ethyleneglycoxide                                                                        2300                                                        Bismuth Nitrate     950                                                        Boron Acetate      1800                                                        Cadmium Acetate    1050                                                        Calcium Acetate    1300                                                        Cerium Acetate     1850                                                        Cerium Nitrate     2700                                                        Cesium Acetate     1900                                                        Chromium Acetate   1800                                                        Cobalt Acetate     2200                                                        Cobalt Silylmolybdate                                                                             3100                                                        Cupric Acetate     1800                                                        Dysprosium Chloride                                                                               1000                                                        Dysprosium Nitrate 1000                                                        Ferric Citrate     2400                                                        Lanthanum Acetate  2100                                                        Lanthanum Chloride 2000                                                        Lanthanum Nitrate  3000                                                        Lanthanum Oxide    3000                                                        Lead Acetate       1450                                                        Lithium Acetate    1600                                                        Magnesium Acetate  2300                                                        Mercuric Acetate   4500                                                        Neodymium Chloride 1150                                                        Neodymium Nitrate  1500                                                        Nickel Acetate     1400                                                        Nickel Phosphomolybdate                                                                           3300                                                        Nickel Silylmolybdate                                                                             2050                                                        Nickel Tetrafluoroborate                                                                          2700                                                        Potassium Acetate  2150                                                        Praseodymium Acetate                                                                              1500                                                        Silicon Acetate    1400                                                        Silver Acetate     1350                                                        Sodium Acetate     1450                                                        Sodium Chromate    2100                                                        Sodium Molybdate   4000                                                        Sodium Vanadate    1700                                                        Strontium Acetate  1750                                                        Tetraethylammonium Acetate                                                                        1300                                                        Tetraethylammonium Chloride                                                                       3000                                                        Thallium Acetate   2600                                                        Thorium Nitrate     890                                                        Titanium Butoxide  3000                                                        Titanium Isopropoxide                                                                             3000                                                        Uranyl Acetate     1300                                                        Yttrium Acetate     700                                                        Yttrium Chloride   1600                                                        Yttrium Formate    2000                                                        Yttrium Nitrate      950                                                       Zinc Acetate       2350                                                        ______________________________________                                          *5000 AC volts gave <0.5 microamp reading                                

EXAMPLE 11

Some cupric acetate/ethylene glycol/nitric acid sols from Examples 5 and 6 using different nonionic surfactants as stabilizers of the sol are compatibly admixed with 76 RES 4400 SBR latex and dried in the same manner as in Example 10. The dried resultant latex polymer/salt compositions are tested as in Example 10 and the observed current flow data summarized in Table G.

                  TABLE G                                                          ______________________________________                                                            AC volts  AC current,                                       Nonionic Surfactant                                                                               Applied   microamperes                                      ______________________________________                                         9 mol EO octylphenol                                                                              2000      500                                               12.5 mol EO octylphenol                                                                           1000      46                                                7.5 mol EO nonylphenol                                                                             500      2700                                              8.5 mol EO nonylphenol                                                                            1300      5000                                              9 mol EO nonylphenol                                                                              1300      5000                                              10 mol EO nonylphenol                                                                             2000      1300                                              10.5 mol EO nonylphenol                                                                            350      5000                                              12 mol EO nonylphenol                                                                              350      5000                                              10 mol EO oleyl alcohol                                                                           4000      5000                                              10 mol EO cetyl alcohol                                                                           3600      5000                                              20 mol EO oleyl alcohol                                                                           3000      5000                                              20 mol EO cetyl alcohol                                                                           3800      5000                                              Polyoxyethylene glycol 400                                                                        1000      2150                                              Polyoxyethylene glycol 600                                                                        3000      820                                               Polyoxyethylene glycol 1000                                                                       4000      2500                                              Polyoxyethylene glycol 1500                                                                       3000      2800                                              Pluronic L35       4000      5000                                              Pluronic P65       5000      2800                                              Pluronic P75       4000      2830                                              Pluronic P84       5000      1.2                                               Pluronic P85       3000      230                                               Pluronic P103      5000      2.3                                               Pluronic P104      5000      570                                               Pluronic P105      5000      71                                                Pluronic P123      5000      0.5                                               Polypropylene glycol 425                                                                          5000      1000                                              80 mol EO sorbitan monolaurate                                                                    2900      5000                                              20 mol EO sorbitan monooleate                                                                     1550      5000                                              20 mol EO sorbitan monolaurate                                                                    1500      5000                                              10 wt. % Pluronic L31                                                                             4000      990                                               + 90 wt. % L35                                                                 90 wt. % Pluronic L35                                                                             5000      1880                                              + 10 wt. % F38                                                                 50 wt. % Igepal CO530                                                                             800       5000                                              + 50 wt. % Igepal CO890                                                        ______________________________________                                    

EXAMPLE 12

Sols prepared in Example 4 are admixed with 76 RES 4400 SBR latex, dried, and the resultant latex polymer/salt compositions tested for electrical conductivity in the same manner as in Example 10. The dried sol/latex products are tested as in Example 10 and the observed current flow data summarized in Table H.

                  TABLE H                                                          ______________________________________                                                          Applied  AC current,                                          Salt             AC volts microamperes                                         ______________________________________                                         Aluminum Acetate 2000     5000                                                 Ammonium Acetate 1000     5000                                                 Cobalt Acetate   5000      900                                                 Cupric Acetate   1000     5000                                                 Mercuric Acetate 5000     1650                                                 Nickel Acetate   5000      400                                                 Uranyl Acetate   1000     5000                                                 ______________________________________                                    

EXAMPLE 13

Acetate salts in the citric acid/ethylene glycol/nitric acid-prepared sols of Example 2 are admixed with a commercially available UCD composition containing a polyvinylidene chloride latex (76 RES P546 PVDC latex), dried and tested in the same manner as in Example 10. The dried sol/latex products are tested as in Example 10 and the observed current flow data summarized in Table J.

                  TABLE J                                                          ______________________________________                                                         AC Volts AC current,                                           Cation          Applied  microamperes                                          ______________________________________                                         None            5000     85                                                    Aluminum        3000     >5000                                                 Ammonium        4000     >5000                                                 Cadmium         5000     72                                                    Calcium         5000     360                                                   Chromium        5000     95                                                    Cobalt          4000     >5000                                                 Cupric          5000     160                                                   Lanthanum       5000     130                                                   Lead            5000     118                                                   Lithium         4000     >5000                                                 Magnesium       5000     >5000                                                 Nickel          5000     380                                                   Potassium       5000     600                                                   Praseodymium    5000     135                                                   Silicon         5000     129                                                   Sodium          4000     >5000                                                 Strontium       5000     210                                                   Uranium         5000     111                                                   Yttrium         4000     >5000                                                 Zinc            5000     >5000                                                 ______________________________________                                    

In view of the foregoing description of the invention including the examples thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications, and variations can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the concept of the present invention. Accordingly, it is intended in the invention to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations as may fall within the scope of the appended claims. 

I claim:
 1. A process for preparing a sol or gel composition containing at least 0.001 weight percent of at least one salt in the form of anions, cations, and colloidal salt particulates and prepared by heating an admixture comprising at least one nonaqueous solvent, at least one stabilizer and said salt, is subsequently admixed with a latex of a polymer.
 2. The process defined in claim 1 further comprising admixing (d) an acidic component prior to heating.
 3. The process defined in claim 1 further comprising admixing an acidic component with said admixture after heating the admixture.
 4. The process defined in claim 1 wherein said sol or gel has a pH less than about 3.0.
 5. The process defined in claim 1 wherein said solvent is an organic solvent selected from the group consisting of a polyol, polyhydroxyl ether and polyhydroxyl alcohol.
 6. The process defined in claim 1 wherein said solvent comprises ethylene glycol, glycerine, pentanediol, polyoxyethylene glycol, polyoxypropylene glycol, mixed (polyethylene-polyoxypropylene) glycol or blocked (polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropylene) glycol.
 7. The process defined in claim 1 wherein said stabilizer comprises a chelator or a nonionic surfactant.
 8. The process defined in claim 1 wherein said stabilizer comprises a hydroxycarboxylic acid.
 9. The process defined in claim 8 wherein said hydroxycarboxylic acid is selected from the group consisting of citric acid, tartaric acid, mesotartaric acid, glycolic acid, α-hydroxybutyric acid, mandelic acid, glyceric acid, malic acid and lactic acid.
 10. The process defined in claim 7 wherein said stabilizer is a nonionic surfactant having the formula

    R--(EO).sub.x (PO).sub.y --R.sup.1

wherein each of R and R¹ is independently selected from hydrogen, hydroxyl, alkyl, aryl, monoalkylaryl, dialkylaryl, aliphatic ester and aryl ester radicals, EO is ethylene oxide, PO is propylene oxide, and x and y are nonnegative integers.
 11. The process defined in claim 10 wherein said stabilizer is a glycerine-derived nonionic surfactant having the formula ##STR2## wherein each of R, R¹ and R¹¹ is independently selected from hydrogen, hydroxyl, alkyl, aryl, monoalkylaryl, dialkylaryl aliphatic ester and aryl ester radicals, EO is ethylene oxide, PO is propylene oxide and x, y, a, b, m and n are nonnegative integers
 12. The process defined in claim 10 wherein said stabilizer is a nonionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of 1-100 percent by weight of ethylene oxide in combination with 0-99 percent by weight of propylene oxide and having a molecular weight from 62 to 5,000, 6-50 mol EO lauryl alcohol, 6-50 mol EO cetyl alcohol, 6-50 mol EO mystryl alcohol, 6-50 mol EO stearyl alcohol, 6-50 mol EO phenol, 6-50 mol EO butyl phenol, 6-50 mol EO octyl phenol, 6-50 mol EO decyl phenol, 6-50 mol EO dodecyl phenol, 6-50 mol EO nonyl phenol, and 10-90 mol EO sorbitan monolaurate, or monocetylate or monomystralate or monostearate.
 13. The process defined in claim 1 wherein said salt contains a cation or anion selected from the group consisting of metallic cations or metallic anions, monomeric nonmetallic cations or monomeric nonmetallic anions, and polymeric nonmetallic cations or polymeric nonmetallic anions.
 14. The process defined in claim 13 wherein said metallic cation is selected from the group consisting of antimony, yttrium, cadmium, silver, calcium, cerium, manganese, nickel, niobium, lead, uranium, barium, chromium, cesium, copper, lithium, sodium, potassium, palladium, praseodymium, aluminum, cobalt, iron, gold, lanthanum, magnesium, thallium, zinc, dysprosium, samarium, gadolinium, erbium, strontium, ytterbium, titanium and mercury.
 15. The process defined in claim 13 wherein said monomeric nonmetallic cation is selected from the group consisting of ammonium, boron and silicon.
 16. The process defined in claim 15 wherein said monomeric nonmetallic anions are selected from the group consisting of nitrates, acetates, halides, borates, phosphates, formates, citrates, benzoates, tartrates, silicates, nitrites, carbonates, oxides and alkoxides.
 17. The process defined in claims 2 or 3 wherein said acid component is selected from the group consisting of concentrated nitric acid, concentrated hydrochloric acid and concentrated sulfuric acid.
 18. The process defined in claim 1 wherein said sol or gel has a pH less than about 1.0.
 19. The process defined in claim 1 wherein said latex polymer is selected from the group consisting of(1) conjugated diolefin polymers containing one or more conjugated diene monomers having 4 to 8 carbon atoms, (2) olefin-ester interpolymers containing a monoolefin monomer having up to 4 carbon atoms and an alkenyl or alkenol ester of a saturated carboxylic acid, (3) olefinically unsaturated carboxylic acid ester polymers containing polymerized, olefinically unsaturated monomers containing polymerized olefinically unsaturated carboxylic acid ester monomers, (4) polymers of olefinically unsaturated monomers containing alkenyl ether monomer units, (5) polymers of vinylidene chloride or vinyl chloride with or without other polymerized, olefinically unsaturated monomers, and (6) combinations thereof.
 20. The process defined in claim 13 wherein said polymeric cations are selected from the group consisting of monoolefinic quaternary ammonium cations, diolefinic quaternary ammonium cations, triolefinic quaternary ammonium cations and tetraolefinic quaternary ammonium cations.
 21. The process defined in claim 13 wherein said polymeric anions are selected from the group consisting of alkyl, aryl, ether or alkylaryl sulfonates, sulfates, phosphates, carboxylates and polycarboxylates.
 22. The process defined in claim 19 wherein said conjugated diolefin polymers contain at least 10 weight percent of said conjugated diene monomers.
 23. The process defined in claim 19 wherein said latex polymer in polymer group (1) further comprises one or more alkenyl-substituted monoaromatic monomers.
 24. The process defined in claim 23 wherein said alkenyl-substituted monoaromatic monomers comprise about 1 to about 70 weight percent of said latex polymer in polymer group (1).
 25. The process defined in claim 19 wherein said alkenyl or alkenol ester of a saturated carboxylic acid in the olefin-ester interpolymers of polymer group (2) comprises at least 10 weight percent.
 26. The process defined in claim 19 wherein said polymerized olefinically unsaturated carboxylic acid ester monomer comprises at least 10 weight percent of the latex polymer of polymer group (3).
 27. The process defined in claim 19 wherein said alkenyl ether monomer units in the polymers of polymer group (4) comprise at least 10 weight percent.
 28. The process defined in claims 2 or 3 wherein said acidic component is selected from the group consisting of protic acids and Lewis acids.
 29. The process defined in claim 3 wherein said sol or gel has a pH less than about 0.1.
 30. The process defined in claim 2 or 3 wherein said acidic component is selected from the group consisting of inorganic acids and organic acids and said sol or gel has a pH less than about 3.0.
 31. The process defined in claim 13 wherein said nonmetallic anion comprises an element selected from the group consisting of fluorine, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, tellurium, selenium, phosphorus, sulfur, chlorine, bromine and iodine.
 32. The process defined in claim 13 wherein said metallic-containing anion comprises an element selected from the group consisting of arsenic, chromium, tin, aluminum, titanium, zirconium, vanadium, manganese and molybdenum.
 33. The process defined in claim 1 wherein said admixture is heated to a temperature in the range from about 30° C. to about 90° C.
 34. A process for admixing a latex of a polymer with a salt, said process comprising:(A) preparing a substantially nonaqueous sol or gel composition by(1) admixing (a) at least one nonaqueous solvent, (b) at least one stabilizer, and (c) at least one salt, and (2) heating the admixture to produce a substantially nonaqueous sol or gel composition having a pH less than about 4.0 and containing said salt in the form of anions, cations, and colloidal salt particulates and at least 0.001 weight percent of said salt; and (B) admixing said sol or gel with said latex of a polymer to produce a stable, noncoagulated product admixture composition containing said latex of a polymer and said salt.
 35. The process defined in claim 34 further comprising admixing (d) an acidic component prior to heating.
 36. The process defined in claim 34 further comprising admixing an acidic component with said admixture after heating the admixture.
 37. The process defined in claim 34 wherein said sol or gel has a pH less than about 7.0.
 38. The process defined in claim 34 wherein said solvent is an organic solvent selected from the group consisting of a polyol, polyhydroxyl ether and polyhydroxyl alcohol.
 39. The process defined in claim 34 wherein said solvent comprises ethylene glycol, glycerine, pentanediol, polyoxyethylene glycol, polyoxypropylene glycol, mixed (polyethylene-polyoxypropylene) glycol or blocked (polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropylene) glycol.
 40. The process defined in claim 34 wherein said stabilizer comprises a chelator or a nonionic surfactant.
 41. The process defined in claim 34 wherein said stabilizer comprises a hydroxycarboxylic acid.
 42. The process defined in claim 41 wherein said hydroxycarboxylic acid is selected from the group consisting of citric acid, tartaric acid, mesotartaric acid, glycolic acid, α-hydroxybutyric acid, mandelic acid, glyceric acid, malic acid and lactic acid.
 43. The process defined in claim 40 wherein said stabilizer is a nonionic surfactant having the formula

    R--(EO).sub.x (PO).sub.y --R.sup.1

wherein each of R and R¹ is independently selected from hydrogen, hydroxyl, alkyl, aryl, monoalkylaryl, dialkylaryl, aliphatic ester and aryl ester radicals, EO is ethylene oxide, PO is propylene oxide, and x and y are nonnegative integers.
 44. The process defined in claim 43 wherein said stabilizer is a glycerine-derived nonionic surfactant having the formula ##STR3## wherein each of R, R¹ and R¹¹ is independently selected from hydrogen, hydroxyl, alkyl, aryl, monoalkylaryl, dialkylaryl aliphatic ester and aryl ester radicals, EO is ethylene oxide, PO is propylene oxide and x, y, a, b, m and n are nonnegative integers.
 45. The process defined in claim 43 wherein said stabilizer is a nonionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of 1-100 percent by weight of ethylene oxide in combination with 0-99 percent by weight of propylene oxide and having a molecular weight from 62 to 5,000, 6-50 mol EO lauryl alcohol, 6-50 mol EO cetyl alcohol, 6-50 mol EO mystryl alcohol, 6-50 mol EO stearyl alcohol, 6-50 mol EO phenol, 6-50 mol EO butyl phenol, 6-50 mol EO octyl phenol, 6-50 mol EO decyl phenol, 6-50 mol EO dodecyl phenol, 6-50 mol EO nonyl phenol, and 10-90 mol EO sorbitan monolaurate, or monocetylate or monomystralate or monostearate.
 46. The process defined in claim 34 wherein said salt contains a cation or anion selected from the group consisting of metallic cations or metallic anions, monomeric nonmetallic cations or monomeric nonmetallic anions, and polymeric nonmetallic cations or polymeric nonmetallic anions.
 47. The process defined in claim 46 wherein said metallic cation is selected from the group consisting of antimony, yttrium, cadmium, silver, calcium, cerium, manganese, nickel, niobium, lead, uranium, barium, chromium, cesium, copper, lithium, sodium, potassium, palladium, praseodymium, aluminum, cobalt, iron, gold, lanthanum, magnesium, thallium, zinc, dysprosium, samarium, gadolinium, erbium, strontium, ytterbium, titanium and mercury.
 48. The process defined in claim 46 wherein said monomeric nonmetallic cation is selected from the group consisting of ammonium, boron and silicon.
 49. The process defined in claim 48 wherein said monomeric nonmetallic anions are selected from the group consisting of nitrates, acetates, halides, borates, phosphates, formates, citrates, benzoates, tartrates, silicates, nitrites, carbonates, oxides and alkoxides.
 50. The process defined in claim 35 or 36 wherein said acid component is selected from the group consisting of concentrated nitric acid, concentrated hydrochloric acid and concentrated sulfuric acid.
 51. The process defined in claim 34 wherein said sol or gel has a pH less than about 1.0.
 52. The process defined in claim 34 wherein said latex polymer is selected from the group consisting of(1) conjugated diolefin polymers containing one or more conjugated diene monomers having 4 to 8 carbon atoms, (2) olefin-ester interpolymers containing a monoolefin monomer having up to 4 carbon atoms and an alkenyl or alkenol ester of a saturated carboxylic acid, (3) olefinically unsaturated carboxylic acid ester polymers containing polymerized, olefinically unsaturated monomers containing polymerized olefinically unsaturated carboxylic acid ester monomers, (4) polymers of olefinically unsaturated monomers containing alkenyl ether monomer units, (5) polymers of vinylidene chloride or vinyl chloride with or without other polymerized, olefinically unsaturated monomers, and (6) combinations thereof.
 53. The process defined in claim 46 wherein said polymeric cations are selected from the group consisting of monoolefinic quaternary ammonium cations, diolefinic quaternary ammonium cations, triolefinic quaternary ammonium cations and tetraolefinic quaternary ammonium cations.
 54. The process defined in claim 46 wherein said polymeric anions are selected from the group consisting of alkyl, aryl, or ether alkylaryl sulfonates, sulfates, phosphates, carboxylates and polycarboxylates.
 55. The process defined in claim 52 wherein said conjugated diolefin polymers contain at least 10 weight percent of said conjugated diene monomers.
 56. The process defined in claim 52 wherein said latex polymer in polymer group (1) further comprises one or more alkenyl-substituted monoaromatic monomers.
 57. The process defined in claim 56 wherein said alkenyl-substituted monoaromatic monomers comprise about 1 to about 70 weight percent of said latex polymer in polymer group (1).
 58. The process defined in claim 52 wherein said alkenyl or alkenol ester of a saturated carboxylic acid in the olefin-ester interpolymers of polymer group (2) comprises at least 10 weight percent.
 59. The process defined in claim 52 wherein said polymerized olefinically unsaturated carboxylic acid ester monomer comprises at least 10 weight percent of the latex polymer of polymer group (3).
 60. The process defined in claim 52 wherein said alkenyl ether monomer units in the polymers of (4) comprise at least 10 weight percent.
 61. The process defined in claims 35 or 36 wherein said acidic component is selected from the group consisting of protic acids and Lewis acids.
 62. The process defined in claim 35 wherein said sol or gel has a pH less than about 0.1.
 63. The process defined in claims 35 or 36 wherein said acidic component is selected from the group consisting of inorganic acids and organic acids and said sol or gel has a pH less than about 4.0.
 64. The process defined in claim 46 wherein said nonmetallic anion comprises an element selected from the group consisting of fluorine, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, tellurium, selenium, phosphorus, sulfur, chlorine, bromine and iodine.
 65. The process defined in claim 46 wherein said metallic-containing anion comprises an element selected from the group consisting of arsenic, chromium, tin, aluminum, titanium, zirconium, vanadium, manganese and molybdenum.
 66. The process defined in claim 34 wherein said admixture is heated to a temperature in the range from about 30° C. to about 90° C.
 67. A process for admixing a composition containing a latex of a polymer with a salt containing metallic or nonmetallic cations or metallic or nonmetallic anions, said process comprising the following steps:(1) admixing (a) at least one nonaqueous solvent comprising a polyol, (b) at least one stabilizer comprising a chelator or a nonionic surfactant, and (c) at least one salt containing a metallic or nonmetallic cation or a metallic or nonmetallic anion, (2) heating the admixture to a temperature less than about 100° C. to produce a sol or gel composition containing at least 0.001 weight percent of said salt, including said metallic cation or metallic anion, and colloidal salt particulates, said sol or gel having a pH less than about 4.0, and (3) admixing said sol or gel containing said metallic cation or metallic anion and colloidal salt particulates with said latex of a polymer to produce a stable, noncoagulated product admixture composition containing said latex polymer and said salt, including said metallic cation, metallic anion and colloidal salt particulates.
 68. The process defined in claim 67 further comprising admixing (d) an acidic component prior to heating and wherein said sol or gel has a pH less than 3.0.
 69. The process defined in claim 67 further comprising admixing an acidic component with said admixture after heating the admixture.
 70. The process defined in claim 67 wherein said sol or gel has a pH less than about 3.0.
 71. The process defined in claim 67 wherein said solvent is selected from the group consisting of a polyhydroxyl ether and polyhydroxyl alcohol.
 72. The process defined in claim 71 wherein said solvent comprises ethylene glycol, glycerine, pentanediol, polyoxyethylene glycol, polyoxypropylene glycol, mixed (polyethylene-polyoxypropylene) glycol or blocked (polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropylene) glycol.
 73. The process defined in claim 67 wherein said sol or gel has a pH less than about 1.0.
 74. The process defined in claim 67 wherein said chelator comprises a hydroxycarboxylic acid.
 75. The process defined in claim 74 wherein said hydroxycarboxylic acid is selected from the group consisting of citric acid, tartaric acid, mesotartaric acid, glycolic acid, α-hydroxybutyric acid, mandelic acid, glyceric acid, malic acid and lactic acid.
 76. The process defined in claim 71 wherein said nonionic surfactant having the formula

    R--(EO).sub.x (PO).sub.y --R.sup.1

wherein each of R and R¹ is independently selected from hydrogen, hydroxyl, alkyl, aryl, monoalkylaryl, dialkylaryl, aliphatic ester and aryl ester radicals, EO is ethylene oxide, PO is propylene oxide, and x and y are nonnegative integers.
 77. The process defined in claim 76 wherein said stabilizer is a glycerine-derived nonionic surfactant having the formula ##STR4## wherein each of R, R¹ and R¹¹ is independently selected from hydrogen, hydroxyl, alkyl, aryl, monoalkylaryl, dialkylaryl, aliphatic ester and aryl ester radicals, EO is ethylene oxide, PO is propylene oxide and x, y, a, b, m and n are nonnegative integers.
 78. The process defined in claim 76 wherein said stabilizer is a nonionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of 1-100 percent by weight of ethylene oxide in combination with 0-99 percent by weight of propylene oxide and having a molecular weight from 62 to 5,000, 6-50 mol EO lauryl alcohol, 6-50 mol EO cetyl alcohol, 6-50 mol EO mystryl alcohol, 6-50 mol EO stearyl alcohol, 6-50 mol EO phenol, 6-50 mol EO butyl phenol, 6-50 mol EO octyl phenol, 6-50 mol EO decyl phenol, 6-50 mol EO dodecyl phenol, 6-50 mol EO nonyl phenol, and 10-90 mol EO sorbitan monolaurate, or monocetylate or monomystralate or monostearate.
 79. The process defined in claim 67 wherein said salt further comprises a polymeric nonmetallic cation or polymeric nonmetallic anion.
 80. The process defined in claim 67 wherein said monometallic cation is selected from the group consisting of antimony, yttrium, cadmium, silver, calcium, cerium, manganese, nickel, niobium, lead, uranium, barium, chromium, cesium, copper, lithium, sodium, potassium, palladium, praseodymium, aluminum, cobalt, iron, gold, lanthanum, magnesium, thallium, zinc, dysprosium, samarium, gadolinium, erbium, strontium, ytterbium, titanium and mercury.
 81. The process defined in claim 67 wherein said salt further comprises a monomeric nonmetallic cation is selected from the group consisting of ammonium, boron and silicon.
 82. The process defined in claim 67 wherein said monomeric nonmetallic anions are selected from the group consisting of nitrates, acetates, halides, borates, phosphates, formates, citrates, benzoates, tartrates, silicates, nitrites, carbonates, oxides and alkoxides.
 83. The process defined in claims 68 or 69 wherein said acidic component is selected from the group consisting of concentrated nitric acid, concentrated hydrochloric acid and concentrated sulfuric acid.
 84. The process defined in claims 68 or 69 wherein said sol or gel has a pH less than about 0.1.
 85. The process defined in claim 65 wherein said polymer is selected from the group consisting of(1) conjugated diolefin polymers containing one or more conjugated diene monomers having 4 to 8 carbon atoms, (2) olefin-ester interpolymers containing a monoolefin monomer having up to 4 carbon atoms and an alkenyl or alkenol ester of a saturated carboxylic acid, (3) olefinically unsaturated carboxylic acid ester polymers containing polymerized, olefinically unsaturated monomers containing polymerized olefinically unsaturated carboxylic acid ester monomers, (4) polymers of olefinically unsaturated monomers containing alkenyl ether monomer units, (5) polymers of vinylidene chloride or vinyl chloride with or without other polymerized, olefinically unsaturated monomers, and (6) combinations thereof.
 86. The process defined in claim 79 wherein said polymeric cation is selected from the group consisting of monoolefinic quaternary ammonium cations, diolefinic quaternary ammonium cations, triolefinic quaternary ammonium cations and tetraolefinic quaternary ammonium cations.
 87. The process defined in claim 79 wherein said polymeric anion is selected from the group consisting of alkyl, aryl, ether or alkylaryl sulfonates, sulfates, phosphates, carboxylates and polycarboxylates.
 88. The process defined in claim 85 wherein said conjugated diolefin polymers contain at least 10 weight percent of said conjugated diene monomers.
 89. The process defined in claim 85 wherein said latex polymer in polymer group (1) further comprises one or more alkenyl-substituted monoaromatic monomers.
 90. The process defined in claim 89 wherein said alkenyl-substituted monoaromatic monomers comprise about 1 to about 70 weight percent of said latex polymer in polymer group (1).
 91. The process defined in claim 85 wherein said alkenyl or alkenol ester of a polymer group saturated carboxylic acid in the olefin-ester interpolymers of (2) comprises at least 10 weight percent.
 92. The process defined in claim 85 wherein said polymerized olefinically unsaturated carboxylic acid ester monomer comprises at least 10 weight percent of the latex polymer of polymer group (3).
 93. The process defined in claim 85 wherein said alkenyl ether monomer units in the polymers of polymer group (4) comprise at least 10 weight percent.
 94. The process defined in claim 67 wherein said acidic component is selected from the group consisting of protic acids and Lewis acids.
 95. The process defined in claims 68 or 69 wherein said acidic component is selected from the group consisting of protic acids and Lewis acids.
 96. The process defined in claims 68 or 69 wherein said acidic component is selected from the group consisting of inorganic acids and organic acids.
 97. The process defined in claim 67 wherein said nonmetallic anion comprises an element selected from the group consisting of fluorine, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, tellurium, selenium, phosphorus, sulfur, chlorine, bromine and iodine.
 98. The process defined in claim 67 wherein said metallic-containing anion comprises an element selected from the group consisting of arsenic, chromium, tin, aluminum, titanium, zirconium, vanadium, manganese and molybdenum.
 99. The process defined in claim 67 wherein said admixture is heated to a temperature in the range from about 30° C. to about 90° C.
 100. A stable, noncoagulated composition containing a latex of a polymer and a salt, said composition prepared by admixing (A) a sol or gel composition comprising (1) at least one nonaqueous solvent, (2) at least one salt in the form of anions, cations, and colloidal salt particulates, (3) a pH less than about 4.0, and (4) a stabilizer comprising a nonionic surfactant, with (B) said latex of a polymer.
 101. The composition defined in claim 100 further comprising an acidic component.
 102. The composition defined in claim 100 having a pH less than 7.0 and being transparent.
 103. The composition defined in claim 100 wherein said salt is dispersed as cations and anions or as colloidal salt particulates.
 104. The composition defined in claim 100 wherein said solvent is selected from the group consisting of a polyol, polyhydroxyl ether and polyhydroxyl alcohol.
 105. The process defined in claim 104 wherein said solvent comprises ethylene glycol, glycerine, pentanediol, polyoxyethylene glycol, polyoxypropylene glycol, mixed (polyethylene-polyoxypropylene) glycol or blocked (polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropylene) glycol.
 106. The composition defined in claim 100 wherein said nonionic surfactant has the formula

    R--(EO).sub.x (PO).sub.y --R.sup.1

wherein each of R and R¹ is independently selected from hydrogen, hydroxyl, alkyl, aryl, monoalkylaryl, dialkylaryl, aliphatic ester and aryl ester radicals, EO is ethylene oxide, PO is propylene oxide, and x and y are nonnegative integers.
 107. The composition defined in claim 106 wherein said stabilizer is a glycerine-derived nonionic surfactant having the formula ##STR5## wherein each of R, R¹ and R¹¹ is independently selected from hydrogen, hydroxyl, alkyl, aryl, monoalkylaryl, dialkylaryl, aliphatic ester and aryl ester radicals, EO is ethylene oxide, PO is propylene oxide and x, y, a, b, m and n are nonnegative integers.
 108. The process defined in claim 106 wherein said stabilizer is a nonionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of 1-100 percent by weight of ethylene oxide in combination with 0-99 percent by weight of propylene oxide and having a molecular weight from 62 to 5,000, 6-50 mol EO lauryl alcohol, 6-50 mol EO cetyl alcohol, 6-50 mol EO mystryl alcohol, 6-50 mol EO stearyl alcohol, 6-50 mol EO phenol, 6-50 mol EO butyl phenol, 6-50 mol EO octyl phenol, 6-50 mol EO decyl phenol, 6-50 mol EO dodecyl phenol, 6-50 mol EO nonyl phenol, and 10-90 mol EO sorbitan monolaurate, or monocetylate or monomystralate or monostearate.
 109. The composition defined in claim 100 wherein said salt contains a cation or anion selected from the group consisting of metallic cations or metallic anions, monomeric nonmetallic cations or monomeric nonmetallic anions, and polymeric nonmetallic cations or polymeric nonmetallic anions.
 110. The composition defined in claim 109 wherein said metallic cation is selected from the group consisting of antimony, yttrium, cadmium, silver, calcium, cerium, manganese, nickel, niobium, lead, uranium, barium, chromium, cesium, copper, lithium, sodium, potassium, palladium, praseodymium, aluminum, cobalt, iron, gold, lanthanum, magnesium, thallium, zinc, dysprosium, samarium, gadolinium, erbium, strontium, ytterbium, titanium and mercury.
 111. The composition defined in claim 109 wherein said monomeric nonmetallic cation is selected from the group consisting of ammonium, boron and silicon.
 112. The process defined in claim 111 wherein said monomeric nonmetallic anions are selected from the group consisting of nitrates, acetates, halides, borates, phosphates, formates, citrates, benzoates, tartrates, silicates, nitrites, carbonates, oxides and alkoxides.
 113. The composition defined in claim 101 wherein said acidic component is selected from the group consisting of concentrated nitric acid, concentrated hydrochloric acid and concentrated sulfuric acid.
 114. The process defined in claim 100 wherein said polymer is selected from the group consisting of(1) conjugated diolefin polymers containing one or more conjugated diene monomers having 4 to 8 carbon atoms, (2) olefin-ester interpolymers containing a monoolefin monomer having up to 4 carbon atoms and an alkenyl or alkenol ester of a saturated carboxylic acid, (3) olefinically unsaturated carboxylic acid ester polymers containing polymerized, olefinically unsaturated monomers containing polymerized olefinically unsaturated carboxylic acid ester monomers, (4) polymers of olefinically unsaturated monomers containing alkenyl ether monomer units, (5) polymers of vinylidene chloride or vinyl chloride with or without other polymerized, olefinically unsaturated monomers, and (6) combinations thereof.
 115. The composition defined in claim 109 wherein said polymeric cations are selected from the group consisting of monoolefinic quaternary ammonium cations, diolefinic quaternary ammonium cations, triolefinic quaternary ammonium cations and tetraolefinic quaternary ammonium cations.
 116. The composition defined in claim 109 wherein said polymeric anions are selected from the group consisting of alkyl, aryl, ether or alkylaryl sulfonates, sulfates, phosphates, carboxylates and polycarboxylates.
 117. The composition defined in claim 114 wherein said conjugated diolefin polymers contain at least 10 weight percent of said conjugated diene monomers.
 118. The composition defined in claim 114 wherein said latex polymer in polymer group (1) further comprises one or more alkenyl-substituted monoaromatic monomers.
 119. The composition defined in claim 118 wherein said alkenyl-substituted monoaromatic monomers comprise about 1 to about 70 weight percent of said latex polymer in polymer group (1).
 120. The composition defined in claim 114 wherein said alkenyl or alkenol ester of a saturated carboxylic acid in the olefin-ester interpolymers of polymer group (2) comprises at least 10 weight percent.
 121. The composition defined in claim 114 wherein said polymerized olefinically unsaturated carboxylic acid ester monomer comprises at least 10 weight percent of the latex polymer of polymer group (3).
 122. The composition defined in claim 114 wherein said alkenyl ether monomer units in the polymers of polymer group (4) comprise at least 10 weight percent.
 123. The composition defined in claim 101 wherein said acidic component is selected from the group consisting of protic acids and Lewis acids.
 124. The composition defined in claim 101 wherein said acidic component is selected from he group consisting of inorganic acids and organic acids.
 125. The composition defined in claim 109 wherein said nonmetallic anion comprises an element selected from the group consisting of fluorine, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, tellurium, selenium, phosphorus, sulfur, chlorine, bromine and iodine.
 126. The composition defined in claim 109 wherein said metallic-containing anion comprises an element selected from the group consisting of arsenic, chromium, tin, aluminum, titanium, zirconium, vanadium, manganese and molybdenum.
 127. A latex polymer composition comprising the product admixture composition comprising colloidal salt particulates and obtained from the process of claim
 34. 128. A latex polymer composition comprising the product admixture composition comprising colloidal salt particulates and obtained from the process of claim
 67. 129. A composition comprising the product admixture composition comprising colloidal salt particulates and obtained from admixing the sol or gel obtained from the process of claim 1 with a composition containing at least one starting polymer.
 130. A stable, noncoagulated product admixture composition containing a latex of a polymer and a metallic cation or metallic anion and colloidal salt particulates, said product admixture composition prepared from a sol or gel having a pH less than about 4.0 which is admixed with a latex of a polymer, said sol or gel composition prepared by the following steps:(1) admixing(a) at least one solvent containing ethylene glycol, (b) at least one salt comprising a metallic cation or metallic anion, and (c) at least one stabilizer comprising citric acid or a nonionic surfactant, and (2) heating the admixture obtained in step (1) to an elevated temperature in the range from greater than room temperature to about 95° C. and wherein a transparent sol or gel containing at least 0.001 weight percent of said salt, including said metallic cation or said metallic anion and colloidal salt particulates, is produced.
 131. The composition defined in claim 130 further comprising admixing (d) an acidic component prior to heating.
 132. The composition defined in claim 130 further comprising admixing an acidic component with said admixture after heating the admixture.
 133. The composition defined in claim 130 wherein said sol or gel has a pH less than 4.0.
 134. The composition defined in claim 130 wherein said stabilizer is a nonionic surfactant having the formula

    R--(EO).sub.x (PO).sub.y --R.sup.1

wherein each of R and R¹ is independently selected from hydrogen, hydroxyl, alkyl, aryl, monoalkylaryl, dialkylaryl, aliphatic ester and aryl ester radicals, EO is ethylene oxide, PO is propylene oxide, and x and y are nonnegative integers.
 135. The composition defined in claim 134 wherein said stabilizer is a glycerine-derived nonionic surfactant having the formula ##STR6## wherein each of R, R¹ and R¹¹ is independently selected from hydrogen, hydroxyl, alkyl, aryl, monoalkylaryl, dialkylaryl aliphatic ester and aryl ester radicals, EO is ethylene oxide, PO is propylene oxide and x, y, a, b, m and n are nonnegative integers
 136. The process defined in claim 134 wherein said stabilizer is a nonionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of 1-100 percent by weight of ethylene oxide in combination with 0-99 percent by weight of propylene oxide and having a molecular weight from 62 to 5,000, 6-50 mol EO lauryl alcohol, 6-50 mol EO cetyl alcohol, 6-50 mol EO mystryl alcohol, 6-50 mol EO stearyl alcohol, 6-50 mol EO phenol, 6-50 mol EO butyl phenol, 6-50 mol EO octyl phenol, 6-50 mol EO decyl phenol, 6-50 mol EO dodecyl phenol, 6-50 mol EO nonyl phenol, and 10-90 mol EO sorbitan monolaurate, or monocetylate or monomystralate or monostearate.
 137. The composition defined in claim 130 wherein said salt contains a cation or anion selected from the group consisting of metallic cations or metallic anions, monomeric nonmetallic cations or monomeric nonmetallic anions, and polymeric nonmetallic cations or polymeric nonmetallic anions.
 138. The composition defined in claim 137 wherein said metallic cation is selected from the group consisting of antimony, yttrium, cadmium, silver, calcium, cerium, manganese, nickel, niobium, lead, uranium, barium, chromium, cesium, copper, lithium, sodium, potassium, palladium, praseodymium, aluminum, cobalt, iron, gold, lanthanum, magnesium, thallium, zinc, dysprosium, samarium, gadolinium, erbium, strontium, ytterbium, titanium and mercury.
 139. The composition defined in claim 137 wherein said monomeric nonmetallic cation is selected from the group consisting of ammonium, boron and silicon.
 140. The process defined in claim 139 wherein said monomeric nonmetallic anions are selected from the group consisting of nitrates, acetates, halides, borates, phosphates, formates, citrates, benzoates, tartrates, silicates, nitrites, carbonates, oxides and alkoxides.
 141. The composition defined in claims 131 or 132 wherein said acid component is selected from the group consisting of concentrated nitric acid, concentrated hydrochloric acid and concentrated sulfuric acid.
 142. The process defined in claim 130 wherein said polymer is selected from the group consisting of(1) conjugated diolefin polymers containing one or more conjugated diene monomers having 4 to 8 carbon atoms, (2) olefin-ester interpolymers containing a monoolefin monomer having up to 4 carbon atoms and an alkenyl or alkenol ester of a saturated carboxylic acid, (3) olefinically unsaturated carboxylic acid ester polymers containing polymerized, olefinically unsaturated monomers containing polymerized olefinically unsaturated carboxylic acid ester monomers, (4) polymers of olefinically unsaturated monomers containing alkenyl ether monomer units, (5) polymers of vinylidene chloride or vinyl chloride with or without other polymerized, olefinically unsaturated monomers, and (6) combinations thereof.
 143. The composition defined in claim 137 wherein said polymeric cations are selected from the group consisting of monoolefinic quaternary ammonium cations, diolefinic quaternary ammonium cations, triolefinic quaternary ammonium cations and tetraolefinic quaternary ammonium cations.
 144. The composition defined in claim 137 wherein said polymeric anions are selected from the group consisting of alkyl, aryl, ether or alkylaryl sulfonates, sulfates, phosphates, carboxylates and polycarboxylates.
 145. The composition defined in claim 142 wherein said conjugated diolefin polymers contain at least 10 weight percent of said conjugated diene monomers.
 146. The composition defined in claim 142 wherein said latex polymer in polymer group (1) further comprises one or more alkenyl-substituted monoaromatic monomers.
 147. The composition defined in claim 146 wherein said alkenyl-substituted monoaromatic monomers comprise about 1 to about 70 eight percent of said latex polymer in polymer group (1).
 148. The composition defined in claim 142 wherein said alkenyl or alkenol ester of a saturated carboxylic acid in the olefin-ester interpolymers of polymer group (2) comprises at least 10 weight percent.
 149. The composition defined in claim 142 wherein said polymerized olefinically unsaturated carboxylic acid ester monomer comprises at least 10 weight percent of the latex polymer of polymer group (3).
 150. The composition defined in claim 142 wherein said alkenyl ether monomer units in the polymers of polymer group (4) comprise at least 10 weight percent.
 151. The composition defined in claim 130 wherein said acidic component is selected from the group consisting of protic acids and Lewis acids.
 152. The composition defined in claims 131 or 132 wherein said acidic component is selected from the group consisting of inorganic acids and organic acids.
 153. The composition defined in claim 137 wherein said nonmetallic anion comprises an element selected from the group consisting of fluorine, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, tellurium, selenium, phosphorus, sulfur, chlorine, bromine and iodine.
 154. The composition defined in claim 137 wherein said metallic-containing anion comprises an element selected from the group consisting of arsenic, chromium, tin, aluminum, titanium, zirconium, vanadium, manganese and molybdenum.
 155. A resultant latex polymer/salt composition obtained by drying said stable, noncoagulated product admixture composition of claims 127, 128 or
 129. 156. A resultant latex polymer/salt composition capable of conducting alternating electrical current and prepared from a stable, noncoagulated product admixture composition containing a latex of a polymer and a dispersed salt, said resultant latex polymer/salt composition prepared by the following steps:(1) preparing a sol or gel composition having a pH of less than about 4.0 and containing said salt in the form of anions, cations and colloidal salt particulates; (2) admixing said sol or gel composition obtained in step (1) with a latex of a polymer to produce a stable, noncoagulated product admixture composition containing a latex of a polymer and said salt in the form of cations, anions and colloidal salt particulates; and (3) drying said stable, noncoagulated product admixture composition obtained from step (2).
 157. The composition defined in claim 156 wherein said sol or gel composition prepared in step (1) comprises the sol or gel composition of claims 1, 34, 67, or
 100. 158. The composition defined in claim 157 wherein said sol or gel composition prepared in step (1) comprises the sol or gel composition of claims 2, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 31, 32 or
 33. 159. A product composition containing said salt obtained by drying the product admixture composition of claim
 129. 160. A process wherein a sol or gel composition containing (1) at least one salt in the form of anions, cations and salt particulates and (2) a nonaqueous solvent, is admixed with a latex of a polymer.
 161. The process defined in claim 160 wherein said sol or gel composition is prepared by(1) admixing (a) at least one nonaqueous solvent,(b) at least one stabilizer and (c) at least one salt, and (2) heating the admixture to produce a sol composition containing said salt, including anions, cations, and colloidal salt particulates.
 162. The process defined in claim 160 further comprising admixing (d) an acidic component prior to heating.
 163. The process defined in claim 160 further comprising admixing an acidic component with said admixture after heating the admixture.
 164. The process defined in claim 160 wherein said sol or gel has a pH less than about 4.0.
 165. The process defined in claim 160 wherein said solvent is an organic solvent selected from the group consisting of a polyol, polyhydroxyl ether and polyhydroxyl alcohol.
 166. The process defined in claim 160 wherein said solvent comprises ethylene glycol, glycerine, pentanediol, polyoxyethylene glycol, polyoxypropylene glycol, mixed (polyethylene-polyoxypropylene) glycol or blocked (polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropylene) glycol.
 167. The process defined in claim 160 wherein said stabilizer comprises a chelator or a nonionic surfactant.
 168. The process defined in claim 160 wherein said stabilizer comprises a hydroxycarboxylic acid.
 169. The process defined in claim 168 wherein said hydroxycarboxylic acid is selected from the group consisting of citric acid, tartaric acid, mesotartaric acid, glycolic acid, -hydroxybutyric acid, mandelic acid, glyceric acid, malic acid and lactic acid.
 170. The process defined in claim 167 wherein said stabilizer is a nonionic surfactant having the formula

    R--(EO).sub.x (PO).sub.y --R.sup.1

wherein each of R and R¹ is independently selected from hydrogen, hydroxyl, alkyl, aryl, monoalkylaryl, dialkylaryl, aliphatic ester and aryl ester radicals, EO is ethylene oxide, PO is propylene oxide, and x and y are nonnegative integers.
 171. The process defined in claim 170 wherein said stabilizer is a glycerine-derived nonionic surfactant having the formula ##STR7## wherein each of R, R¹ and R¹¹ is independently selected from hydrogen, hydroxyl, alkyl, aryl, monoalkylaryl, dialkylaryl aliphatic ester and aryl ester radicals, EO is ethylene oxide, PO is propylene oxide and x, y, a, b, m and n are non-negative integers.
 172. The process defined in claim 170 wherein said stabilizer is a nonionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of 1-100 percent by weight of ethylene oxide in combination with 0-99 percent by weight of propylene oxide and having a molecular weight from 62 to 5,000, 6-50 mol EO lauryl alcohol, 6-50 mol EO cetyl alcohol, 6-50 mol EO mystryl alcohol, 6-50 mol EO stearyl alcohol, 6-50 mol EO phenol, 6-50 mol EO butyl phenol, 6-50 mol EO octyl phenol, 6-50 mol EO decyl phenol, 6-50 mol EO dodecyl phenol, 6-50 mol EO nonyl phenol, and 10-90 mol EO sorbitan monolaurate, or monocetylate or monomystralate or monostearate.
 173. The process defined in claim 160 wherein said salt contains a cation or anion selected from the group consisting of metallic cations or metallic anions, monomeric nonmetallic cations or monomeric nonmetallic anions, and polymeric nonmetallic cations or polymeric nonmetallic anions.
 174. The process defined in claim 173 wherein said monometallic cation is selected from the group consisting of antimony, yttrium, cadmium, silver, calcium, cerium, manganese, nickel, niobium, lead, uranium, barium, chromium, cesium, copper, lithium, sodium, potassium, palladium, praseodymium, aluminum, cobalt, iron, gold, lanthanum, magnesium, thallium, zinc, dysprosium, samarium, gadolinium, erbium, strontium, ytterbium, titanium and mercury.
 175. The process defined in claim 174 wherein said monomeric nonmetallic cation is selected from the group consisting of ammonium, boron and silicon.
 176. The process defined in claim 175 wherein said monomeric nonmetallic anions are selected from the group consisting of nitrates, acetates, halides, borates, phosphates, formates, citrates, benzoates, tartrates, silicates, nitrites, carbonates, oxides and alkoxides.
 177. The process defined in claims 162 or 163 wherein said acid component is selected from the group consisting of concentrated nitric acid, concentrated hydrochloric acid and concentrated sulfuric acid.
 178. The process defined in claim 160 wherein said sol or gel has a ph less than about 1.0.
 179. The process defined in claim 160 wherein said polymer is selected from the group consisting of(1) conjugated diolefin polymers containing one or more conjugated diene monomers having 4 to 8 carbon atoms, (2) olefin-ester interpolymers containing a monoolefin monomer having up to 4 carbon atoms and an alkenyl or alkenol ester of a saturated carboxylic acid, (3) olefinically unsaturated carboxylic acid ester polymers containing polymerized, olefinically unsaturated monomers containing polymerized olefinically unsaturated carboxylic acid ester monomers, (4) polymers of olefinically unsaturated monomers containing alkenyl ether monomer units, (5) polymers of vinylidene chloride or vinyl chloride with or without other polymerized, olefinically unsaturated monomers, and (6) combinations thereof.
 180. The process defined in claim 174 wherein said polymeric cations are selected from the group consisting of monoolefinic quaternary ammonium cations, diolefinic quaternary ammonium cations, triolefinic quaternary ammonium cations and tetraolefinic quaternary ammonium cations.
 181. The process defined in claim 174 wherein said polymeric anions are selected from the group consisting of alkyl, aryl, or ether alkylaryl sulfonates, sulfates, phosphates, carboxylates and polycarboxylates.
 182. The process defined in claim 179 wherein said conjugated diolefin polymers contain at least 10 weight percent of said conjugated diene monomers.
 183. The process defined in claim 179 wherein said latex polymer in (1) further comprises one or more alkenyl-substituted monoaromatic monomers.
 184. The process defined in claim 183 wherein said alkenyl-substituted monoaromatic monomers comprise about 1 to about 70 weight percent of said polymer in (1).
 185. The process defined in claim 179 wherein said alkenyl or alkenol ester of a saturated carboxylic acid in the olefin-ester interpolymers of polymer group (2) comprises at least 10 weight percent.
 186. The process defined in claim 179 wherein said polymerized olefinically unsaturated carboxylic acid ester monomer comprises at least 10 weight percent of the polymer of polymer group (3).
 187. The process defined in claim 179 wherein said alkenyl ether monomer units in the polymers of (4) comprise at least 10 weight percent.
 188. The process defined in claims 162 or 163 wherein said acidic component is selected from the group consisting of protic acids and Lewis acids.
 189. The process defined in claim 163 wherein said sol or gel has a pH less than about 0.1.
 190. The process defined in claims 162 or 163 wherein said acidic component is selected from the group consisting of inorganic acids and organic acids and said sol or gel has a pH less than about 4.0.
 191. The process defined in claim 173 wherein said nonmetallic anion comprises an element selected from the group consisting of fluorine, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, tellurium, selenium, phosphorus, sulfur, chlorine, bromine and iodine.
 192. The process defined in claim 173 wherein said metallic-containing anion comprises an element selected from the group consisting of arsenic, chromium, tin, aluminum, titanium, zirconium, vanadium, manganese and molybdenum.
 193. The process defined in claim 161 wherein said admixture is heated to a temperature in the range from about 30° C. to about 90° C.
 194. The process defined in claim 161 wherein said salt comprises greater than 0.001 weight percent of said sol or gel.
 195. The process defined in claims 34, 67, 1 and 160 wherein said latex of a polymer comprises about 40 to 70 weight percent of said polymer.
 196. The composition defined in claims 113, 127, 128, 129, 156 and 130 wherein said latex of a polymer comprises about 40 to 70 weight percent of said polymer.
 197. A latex polymer composition comprising a product admixture composition obtained from the process of claim 161, said product admixture composition comprising (1) anions, cations and colloidal salt particulates of said salt and (2) said nonaqueous solvent mixed with said latex of a polymer.
 198. A stable, noncoagulated product admixture composition containing a latex of a polymer and a metallic cation or metallic anion and colloidal salt particulates, said product admixture composition prepared from a sol admixed with a latex of a polymer, and sol composition prepared by the following steps:(1) admixing(a) at least one solvent containing ethylene glycol, (b) at least one salt comprising a metallic cation or metallic anion, and (c) at least one stabilizer comprising citric acid or a nonionic surfactant, and (2) heating the admixture obtained in step (1) to an elevated temperature in the range from greater than room temperature to about 95° C. and wherein a transparent sol containing a metallic cation or metallic anion and colloidal salt particulates is produced.
 199. A product admixture composition comprising:(1) a latex of a polymer, and (2) a sol or gel composition containing (a) at least one salt in the form of anions, cations and colloidal salt particulates, (b) an organic solvent, and (c) a stabilizer. 